SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr is hoping that a June police academy will help boost manpower in the department, which is still hundreds of officers short.

The department is only holding one academy this year and Chief Suhr said he hopes to get at least 40 rookies out of it.

But the SFPD is still down about 250 officers from its chartered 1,971. He said that, with 10 officers retiring each month, it’s a game of catch up.

KCBS’ Holly Quan Reports:

SF Police Chief Calls For More Academies, Officers

“Sadly, we’ve had eight homicides this year. But that’s down tremendously from last year. Other jurisdictions are not enjoying the same peace dividend and I would suggest it’s because their personnel is down,” Suhr said. “So they can’t do the upfront stuff, working with kids, working in the neighborhoods and making the community partnerships that are so critical to front end violence prevention.”

Of those eight murders, Suhr said that six have been solved, and there’s an arrest warrant out on the seventh.

But he said that resources have been taxed with the recent visits of world leaders. Suhr said that he hopes to work with the police officer’s union to try and use retired cops for when the America’s Cup comes to town.

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